Engage with those working to make the world better, says UB psychiatrist

An article in USA Today about the mass shootings occurring around the country and the growing feelings of fear and loss that are affecting people as a result interviews Steven Dubovsky, professor and chair of psychiatry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, who said people can empower themselves by asking what things they can actively do to keep themselves and their communities safe. “That way, you won’t feel like you’re passively waiting,” he said. “You will feel less anxious and more in control.” The article appeared in news outlets around the country, including the Arizona Republic, Louisville Courier-Journal, Detroit Free Press and Des Moines Register.

Dubovsky also was interviewed on Bustle/Refinery29 about reports that the suspect in Sunday’s mass shooting at a Texas church had been accused of domestic violence. Although most mass murderers don’t have a history of domestic violence, people who commit violent crimes often have a violent past, he said. “Someone who’s violent in one setting is more likely to be violent in another setting.”